Plastic modules, conveyor belts and methods for assembling and disassembling pivotably connected plastic modules

Abstract

Modules for plastic conveyor belts may comprise a body and a resilient stop cooperatively arranged with the body. The body has at least one aperture which may receive a pivot rod. The resilient stop is preferably bendable in the direction of insertion of the pivot rod and/or in the direction toward the aperture or the pivot axis. Methods of assembling plastic conveyor modules may include bending a resilient stop in the direction of insertion of the pivot rod, and methods of disassembling plastic conveyor modules may include bending a resilient stop toward a pivot rod. Methods of maintaining pivot rods in position in an aperture of a plastic conveyor module may include reacting a resilient stop against axial outward movement of the pivot rod.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A module for a plastic conveyor belt comprising: 
       a body having at least one aperture for receiving a pivot rod and  
       a resilient stop cooperatively arranged with the body, the resilient stop being bendable in the direction of insertion of the pivot rod in the aperture to an extended position allowing the pivot rod to be positioned in the aperture and having a non-extended position which resists removal of the pivot rod from the aperture.  
     
     
       2. A module for a plastic conveyor belt comprising; 
       a body having at least one aperture defining an axis and  
       a resilient stop cooperatively arranged with the body, wherein the resilient stop has a non-extended position and is bendable in the direction of the axis toward the aperture to an extended position, the resilient stop being radially spaced from the axis a greater distance in the extended position than in the non-extended position.  
     
     
       3. A module for a plastic conveyor belt comprising: 
       a body having at least one aperture and  
       a resilient stop cooperatively arranged with the body, the resilient stop having a non-extended position wherein the resilient stop occludes at least a portion of the aperture, the resilient stop being bendable in a direction toward the aperture to an extended position wherein the resilient stop does not occlude any portion of the aperture.  
     
     
       4. A conveyor belt comprising: 
       first and second plastic modules;  
       a pivot rod pivotably connecting the first and second plastic modules along a pivot axis; and  
       a resilient stop having a non-extended position which resists removal of the pivot rod and being bendable in the direction of the pivot axis to an extended position which allows removal or insertion of the pivot rod from the first and second plastic modules.  
     
     
       5. A method of assembling first and second plastic conveyor modules comprising: 
       inserting a pivot rod into apertures in the plastic conveyor modules including bending a resilient stop in the direction of insertion of the pivot rod and  
       positioning the pivot rod in the apertures including moving the pivot rod beyond the resilient stop wherein the resilient stop returns to a position resisting removal of the pivot rod.  
     
     
       6. A method of disassembling first and second pivotably connected plastic conveyor modules comprising: 
       bending a resilient stop toward a pivot rod in the direction of the pivot rod axis and removing the pivot rod from apertures in the first and second plastic conveyor modules.  
     
     
       7. A method of maintaining a pivot rod in position in an aperture of a plastic conveyor module comprising reacting a resilient stop against axial outward movement of the pivot rod, the resilient stop extending at an obtuse angle to the pivot rod. 
     
     
       8. The module of  claim 1  wherein the resilient stop comprises a unitary portion of the body. 
     
     
       9. The module of  claim 1  wherein the resilient stop is arranged to provide increasing reactive force with increasing axial movement of a pivot rod out of the aperture. 
     
     
       10. The module of  claim 1  wherein the resilient stop includes a tip portion having a generally rounded shape. 
     
     
       11. The module of  claim 1  wherein the resilient stop is free of a tip portion. 
     
     
       12. The module of  claim 1  wherein the resilient stop has a cross section that is thicker near the end of the resilient stop and thinner near the body. 
     
     
       13. The module of  claim 1  further comprising an abutment cooperatively arranged with the resilient stop, wherein the resilient stop is capable of contacting the abutment and transferring any load to the abutment. 
     
     
       14. The module of  claim 1  further comprising a guide cooperatively arranged with the resilient stop to guide a pivot rod into the aperture. 
     
     
       15. The module of  claim 14  wherein the guide comprises a smooth surface arranged to deliver a pivot rod into the aperture. 
     
     
       16. The module of  claim 1  wherein the resilient stop comprises first and second bendable member arranged to react against a pivot rod with generally opposite forces. 
     
     
       17. The module of  claim 1  wherein the resilient stop is disposed at an edge of the body. 
     
     
       18. The module of  claim 1  wherein the body is formed from a polymeric material. 
     
     
       19. The module of  claim 1  wherein the body is formed from a polymeric material and includes a plurality of apertures for receiving a pivot rod, the apertures defining an axis, and wherein the resilient stop is a unitary portion of the body and includes a member which is bendable in the direction of insertion of a pivot rod in the apertures, the bendable member in the non-extended position being arranged at an obtuse angle to the aperture axis and providing increasing reactive force with increasing axial movement of a pivot rod out of the apertures. 
     
     
       20. The module of  claim 2  wherein the resilient stop comprises a unitary portion of the body. 
     
     
       21. The module of  claim 2  wherein the resilient stop includes a tip portion having a generally rounded shape. 
     
     
       22. The module of  claim 2  wherein the resilient stop is free of a tip portion. 
     
     
       23. The module of  claim 2  wherein the resilient stop includes a bendable member having a tapered cross section. 
     
     
       24. The module of  claim 23  wherein the cross section is thicker near the end of the bendable member and thinner near the body. 
     
     
       25. The module of  claim 2  further comprising an abutment cooperatively arranged with the resilient stop, wherein the resilient stop is capable of contacting the abutment and transferring any load to the abutment. 
     
     
       26. The module of  claim 2  further comprising a guide cooperatively arranged with the resilient stop, wherein the guide opens into the aperture. 
     
     
       27. The module of  claim 26  wherein the guide comprises a smooth surface. 
     
     
       28. The module of  claim 2  wherein the resilient stop comprises first and second bendable members each arranged to bend from the non-extended position toward the apertures to the extended position. 
     
     
       29. The module of  claim 2  wherein the resilient stop is disposed at an edge of the body. 
     
     
       30. The module of  claim 2  wherein the body is formed from a polymeric material. 
     
     
       31. The module of  claim 2  wherein the body is formed from a polymeric material and includes a plurality of apertures, the apertures defining an axis, and wherein the resilient stop is a unitary portion of the body and includes a member which is bendable towards the apertures, the bendable member in the non-extended position being arranged at an obtuse angle to the aperture axis. 
     
     
       32. The module of  claim 3  wherein the resilient stop comprises a unitary portion of the body. 
     
     
       33. The module of  claim 3  wherein the resilient stop includes a tip portion having a generally rounded shape. 
     
     
       34. The module of  claim 3  wherein the resilient stop is free of a tip portion. 
     
     
       35. The module of  claim 3  wherein the resilient stop includes a bendable member having a tapered cross section. 
     
     
       36. The module of  claim 35  wherein the cross section is thicker near the end of the bendable member and thinner near the body. 
     
     
       37. The module of  claim 3  further comprising an abutment cooperatively arranged with the resilient stop, wherein the resilient stop is capable of contacting the abutment and transferring any load to the abutment. 
     
     
       38. The module of  claim 3  further comprising a guide cooperatively arranged with the resilient stop, wherein the guide opens into the aperture. 
     
     
       39. The module of  claim 38  wherein the guide comprises a smooth face. 
     
     
       40. The module of  claim 3  wherein the resilient stop comprises first and second bendable members each arranged to bend from the non-extended position toward the apertures to the extended position. 
     
     
       41. The module of  claim 3  wherein the resilient stop is disposed at an edge of the body. 
     
     
       42. The module of  claim 3  wherein the body is formed from a polymeric material. 
     
     
       43. The module of  claim 3  wherein the body is formed from a polymeric material and includes a plurality of apertures, the apertures defining axis, and wherein the resilient stop is a unitary portion of the body and includes a member which is a bendable towards the apertures, the bendable member in the non-extended position being arranged at an obtuse angle to the aperture axis. 
     
     
       44. The conveyor belt of  claim 4  wherein one of the first and second plastic modules comprises a body and the resilient stop comprises a unitary portion of the body. 
     
     
       45. The conveyor belt of  claim 4  wherein the resilient stop is arranged to provide increasing reactive force with increasing axial movement of the pivot rod from the first and second plastic modules. 
     
     
       46. The conveyor belt of  claim 4  wherein the resilient stop includes a tip portion having a generally rounded shape. 
     
     
       47. The conveyor belt of  claim 4  wherein the resilient stop is free of a tip portion. 
     
     
       48. The conveyor belt of  claim 4  wherein the resilient stop includes a bendable member having a tapered cross section. 
     
     
       49. The conveyor belt of  claim 48  wherein the cross section tapers from a thinner portion to a thicker portion near the end of the resilient stop. 
     
     
       50. The conveyor belt of  claim 4  further comprising an abutment cooperatively arranged with the resilient stop, wherein the resilient stop is capable of contacting the abutment and transferring any load to the abutment thereby limiting outward axial movement of the pivot rod from the first and second plastic modules. 
     
     
       51. The conveyor belt of  claim 4  wherein the first and second plastic modules include aligned apertures into which the pivot rod is insertable, the conveyor belt further comprising a guide cooperatively arranged with the resilient stop to guide the pivot rod into the apertures. 
     
     
       52. The module of  claim 51  wherein the guide comprises a smooth surface arranged to deliver the pivot rod into the apertures. 
     
     
       53. The conveyor belt of  claim 4  wherein the resilient stop comprises first and second bendable members arranged to react against the pivot rod with generally opposite forces. 
     
     
       54. The conveyor belt of  claim 4  wherein the resilient stop is disposed at an edge of one of the first and second modules. 
     
     
       55. The conveyor belt of  claim 4  wherein each plastic module includes a body formed from a polymeric material. 
     
     
       56. The conveyor belt of  claim 55  wherein the first and second plastic modules include a plurality of apertures for receiving the pivot rod, the apertures defining an axis, and wherein the resilient stop is a unitary portion of the body of one of the first and second plastic modules and includes a member which is bendable in the direction of insertion of the pivot rod in the apertures, the bendable member in the non-extended position being arranged at an obtuse angle to the aperture axis and providing increasing reactive force with increasing axial movement of the pivot rod out of the apertures. 
     
     
       57. The method of  claim 5  wherein bending the resilient stop includes contacting a shaft of the pivot rod against the resilient stop and sliding the shaft along the resilient stop. 
     
     
       58. The method of  claim 57  wherein inserting the pivot rod into the apertures further includes sliding the pivot rod along a guide that reacts against the resilient stop and delivers the pivot rod into the apertures. 
     
     
       59. The method of  claim 5  wherein inserting the pivot rod into the apertures includes inserting a shaft of the pivot rod into the apertures without bending the resilient stop and wherein bending the resilient stop includes contacting a head of the pivot rod against the resilient stop and sliding the head of the pivot rod along the resilient stop. 
     
     
       60. The method of  claim 6  wherein removing the pivot rod from the apertures includes pulling the pivot rod out of the apertures. 
     
     
       61. The method of  claim 6  wherein removing the pivot rod from the apertures includes pushing the pushing the pivot rod out of the apertures. 
     
     
       62. The method of  claim 6  wherein bending the resilient stop toward a pivot rod includes directing a second pivot rod past the resilient stop and bending the resilient stop to an extended position. 
     
     
       63. The method of  claim 7  wherein reacting a resilient stop against axial outward movement of the pivot rod includes increasing reactive force exerted by the resilient stop on the pivot rod with increasing axial outward movement of the pivot rod. 
     
     
       64. The method of  claim 63  further comprising contacting the resilient stop against an abutment, thereby transferring any load from the resilient stop to the abutment, and preventing further axial outward movement of the pivot rod.